


Taking Stock

by NocturnalNautica (EarthGirl)



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: Gen, M/M, Megatron is Rodimus' new stepfather and they're both having trouble adjusting to that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-09 20:39:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12896355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EarthGirl/pseuds/NocturnalNautica
Summary: In which Megatron accidentally crosses a line during an argument with Rodimus, and finds he can’t make amends without answering some personal questions about his relationship with Optimus.





	Taking Stock

In Velocity’s defense, she was new.

She had been aboard the Lost Light for only a few weeks, and didn’t know most of the crew well yet. She and Nautica had a lot to catch up on, so she tended to mostly hang out with her friend and those closest to her. She had talked to Rodimus perhaps half a dozen times, all of them very briefly.

So when she found herself locked on a recreation room with a large group, hiding from an unknown monster that had somehow invaded the Lost Light (which she was told was routine in this ship. She wasn’t sure how to feel about that), and all of their plans to defeat it had failed, she saw no reason why she shouldn’t suggest asking for help.

“The Vis Vitalis is within radio range,” she said. “Perhaps Thunderclash could…”

She couldn’t finish the sentence. Most of the people around her flinched, and the air around her seemed to grow unbearably hot. Searching for the sudden source of heat, she saw Rodimus staring at her in fury.

“I don’t need Thunderclash to keep my crew safe!”

And before anyone could prevent him, he ran to the door and turned off  the force field Brainstorm and Perceptor had managed to create to keep everyone safe and buy time to think of a better plan.

“Rodimus, no!” Bellowed Megatron, jumping after him.

The next minutes were hell. Velocity could only watch as the wall was swiftly destroyed and the monster invaded the small room. Rodimus was sent flying by a vicious kick, and Megatron threw himself against the creature.

Her first instinct was to close her eyes, so as to avoid watching the captain’s destruction. But people around her exclaimed, and she risked taking a peek. Her jaw dropped. The creature was more than twice Megatron’s size, but he was engaging it in almost even battle. Velocity felt a glimmer of hope, but it disappeared when she caught a glimpse of Megatron’s face. He seemed surprised that the creature hadn’t fallen after his third blow, and was clearly growing alarmed. Could that “fool’s energon” they were keeping him on be hindering him that much? Velocity made a mental note to ask someone what was _in_ that thing as soon as she could.

The creature’s tail hit Megatron’s arm, and he staggered. Free from its main enemy, the monster turned towards the group. Swerve screamed, and the creature aimed at him. That settled it. Velocity had to do something.

Gathering all of her courage, she left the corner she’d been hiding on and dashed past the monster. Megatron understood. Grunting with pain, he stood back up and focused on keeping the monster away from her as she reached the radio and put in a distress call.

* * *

 “Thank you, Thunderclash. It was very nice of you to respond so promptly.”

“Not at all, Megatron. I am greatly indebted to the Lost Light crew. And it is always gratifying to help those in need, as I hear you have recently discovered. May I take the opportunity to welcome you to the Autobots? I was most impressed by the accounts I heard of your fight against the alien. I am glad we arrived before either of you was too gravely injured.”

“We are lucky you knew how to communicate with it,” commented Ultra Magnus. “It would have been dreadful if we had killed an innocent, desperate creature like that over a misunderstanding.”

“She asked me to tell you she is dreadfully sorry she mistook you for her children’s kidnappers. We have apprehended the true miscreants, and will be on our way to escort the poor family back to a safe planet. It was a pleasure to see all of you.”

Curiously enough, he seemed to direct that last statement to the person who least deserved it. Rodimus fumed with suppressed anger as he shook Thunderclash’s hand, and Megatron had to double his efforts to stay quiet. He smiled politely and waved as they saw the Vis Vitalis crew off. But the second the doors closed, the pleasant atmosphere that seemed to accompany Thunderclash immediately dissipated, and the Lost Light crew was wise enough to disperse as quickly as it could, leaving their two captains alone.

It didn’t take long for the shouting to start.

“What you were thinking, putting the crew in danger like that?!? Do you realize that if Thunderclash hadn’t been close by we would all be dead? It’s a miracle everyone survived, Velocity tells me she doesn’t know when Riptide will wake up…”

“Someone had to do something! It was destroying the ship, we can’t keep bothering other people…”

“We wouldn’t have HAD to call for help if you hadn’t disabled the barrier and given the creature access to our crew!”

“The ship…”

“Is important, but not as much as people’s safety!”

“That’s rich _, you_ are lecturing me on keeping my people safe?”

“I’m lecturing you on your overinflated ego and your selfish notion that you can get the glories of leadership without the burden!”

“I’ve been captain of this ship for years without you…”

“And you did a great job at it! Lost your half of the Matrix…”

“The Matrix _chose_ me at one point, so clearly I don’t need anyone lecturing me on leadership!”

“Do not remind me of that. The idea of you bearing the Matrix _scares_ me. I’ve seen what it happens when it makes a bad choice, just because it did great in its choice of Optimus it doesn’t mean it always knows what it’s doing. Most of the time it doesn’t, and the consequences to Cybertron…”

“Optimus approves of me too!”

“Optimus would be so disappointed if he saw what you did today.”

Rodimus stepped back, looking as if he had been punched. His angry expression changed to reflect a mixture of shock and intense pain. His lips moved, but no sound came, and before Megatron could say anything else he was running out of the room.

Megatron was surprised. He had never seen Rodimus look that hurt before, and had never expected to. He had always thought the young bot was too selfish to care about what anyone thought of him on a level deeper than the superficial admiration he was always seeking with his ridiculous stunts. Megatron supposed it was nice to know _something_ could get through Rodimus’ hard processors. Not that he expected the other bot to take more than a couple of hours to rationalize his behavior, find excuses for himself, and emerge back into the commanding room convinced that he had done exactly what Optimus would have wanted him to do; but at least those would be a few hours in which Megatron would be able to work on the reconstruction of the ship in peace.

But as he started his path towards the damaged area, he found his thoughts turning back to the pain in Rodimus’ optics at an uncomfortable frequency. And to his annoyance, that image caused him to feel something very similar to guilt.

* * *

Megatron hesitated at the door. What was he doing? His captaincy was never as productive as when Rodimus had one of his sulking crises, and Rodimus’ decision to deal with problems in such an immature manner was not Megatron’s fault. It was ridiculous of him to be so disturbed by the memory of the hurt look in the other bot’s face. If his words had shocked Rodimus so much, then maybe the overly spoiled brat should have used them as a wakeup call to attempt to become more responsible, rather than yet another excuse to wallow in self-pity. Perhaps getting Megatron to come to his quarters to check on his wellbeing was precisely what Rodimus was planning with this ridiculous little disappearance, and Megatron was playing right into his hands.

The thought almost made him turn away, but the memory of Ultra Magnus’ somber voice informing him that three days without opening his door was unprecedented behavior even for Rodimus made him stay. Sighing, he mentally revised all of the reasons why he had decided to do his best to build a somewhat civil relationship with his “co-captain”, and knocked on the door.

“Who is it?”

“Megatron.”

A hollow, defeated laugh came from inside, and Rodimus opened the door.

Thanks to years of experience in keeping his feelings and thoughts hidden from enemies and allies alike, Megatron did not let his surprise show. But he was shocked, for he had never seen Rodimus looking like that. His usual vitality was gone, and he looked as if he hadn’t recharged in decades. His movements were slow, his gaze was downcast, and he allowed Megatron in without insulting him, or, indeed, saying anything at all. Closing the door, he sat on his berth and avoided looking at his visitor.

“Did Ultra Magnus send you?”

“No. But he is worried. A lot of people are.”

“Is this why you came? To gloat about how I’m still making things worse for the crew?”

“What? No. I…”

Megatron hesitated. He had no idea how to handle this situation. He had had several disagreements with subordinates during the war, of course, but Rodimus was not really a subordinate. And even if he had been, he was not like any Megatron had employed before. When he punished Starscream’s treachery or reprehended Tarn’s overzealousness, they accepted it, or pretended to, and worked out their residual feelings by turning their frustration on someone else. Albeit in a different way, that was what he had expected Rodimus would do: annoy Ultra Magnus, or rant angrily against Megatron to a sympathetic audience at Swerve’s. Megatron could have rolled his eyes at that, and he and Rodimus would return to being passive aggressive towards each other until their next screaming match.

But that was not what had happened. Rodimus had retreated into solitude, and that attitude seemed to have done him nothing but harm. He looked almost… Broken. And although there were very few things in the universe Megatron would be less willing to do than try to comfort his immature, hostile “colleague”, he knew that it was his responsibility to do so. Summoning all of his willpower, he composed a small speech.

“I came to tell you that I shouldn’t have said what I did. You were right, Optimus approves of you. And he knows you much better than I do, so clearly there is something about you that he sees and I don’t. Perhaps someday I will, but regardless of that, it was wrong of me to bring him into that argument. I am an old man, and momentarily forgot just how devastating the fear of disappointing a respected mentor can be. My words were unnecessarily hurtful, and I apologise.”

He paused, preparing to have his apology mocked. Instead, the hurt in Rodimus’ eyes seemed to become somehow worse.

“Don’t do that.”

“What?”

“I mean, I appreciate it and all, but you don’t have to lie.”

“Why would you think I’m lying?”

“Stop patronizing me!” He snapped. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“No, I do not. I came here to calmly apologize for something that I said in the heat of the moment, and you assume that I was more truthful when I was acting irrationally? People say things that they don’t mean when they’re angry, Rodimus, and I’m worse than most in that aspect. You can ask Optimus.”

Rodimus snorted in despair.

“See? Precisely my point. ‘You can ask Optimus.’ Yes, of course that is what I would do if I wanted insight on you. Because…” His voice broke and he pressed his hands to his face.” Because you know him better than anyone, don’t you? And I assume it’s mutual?”

Megatron frowned, confused, and then his face contorted in fury when he understood what Rodimus was referencing.

“How much did you hear?”

His voice was an angry growl, and Rodimus recoiled back for a second before recovering and answering in a decided voice.

“Enough to know that it’s true. I don’t understand it, I doubt anyone- autobot or decepticon- does. But you…” He hesitated, and pain entered his voice. “Share something. Something that was strong enough to keep you from killing each other through four million years in which you both had plenty of opportunities to deal the final blow. So when _you_ offer me insight on _him,_ how can I doubt it?”

Megatron sighed. His intention when knocking on the door had been to offer a quick and awkward apology and be gone in less than two minutes. The idea that he might be asked to discuss deeply personal topics hadn’t even crossed his thoughts, and he had no desire to open up about important aspects of his life to someone as thoughtless and self-centered as Rodimus. _Especially_ not after that confession that Rodimus had already intruded on his private life without his knowledge. But looking at how lost the younger bot looked, and calling to mind all that depended on them somehow learning to get along, Megatron felt he had no choice.

“May I sit down?”

Rodimus nodded, surprised. He seemed to have been expecting an explosion, and Megatron’s apparently calm answer unnerved him.

“Do not think for a second we are done with the fact that you spied on a private conversation.” Rodimus opened his mouth to protest, but Megatron interrupted. “But let us address one issue at a time. Yes, it is true. Optimus and I do know each other better than anyone else, and that is why I _know_ my earlier statement was erroneous.”

“No, it wasn’t. People are in the hospital because of what I did, and you, Velocity, and… and _him_ had to save the day. It is because of you that none of the people I endangered are dead. How could Optimus not be disappointed when he hears about this?”

“You speak as if Optimus never committed mistakes that put his troops in severe unnecessary danger.”

“I know he did, but never in a way as selfish as I did today.”

Megatron laughed, not unkindly.

“You truly believe that, don’t you? Rodimus, be honest, I won’t be offended if you say no. Have you ever read Towards Peace?”

Rodimus stared incredulously at him.

“I’ve flipped through it. What does that have to do…”

“I’ve often noticed that many of the ‘bots who only met us later tend to think of Optimus and I as infallible. You treat us as beings of legend, even as we stand before you. You see us fail, you see us doubt, and yet, our reputations seem to be larger than life. Maybe Towards Peace could give you some perspective. I wrote it as a young miner with next to no world experience. Orion read it as a police captain who was barely beginning to notice something was wrong in the world, and had not yet realized he was part of the problem.”

“You were once young and stupid, and therefore I shouldn’t feel bad for currently being that way, is that your point? Gee, thanks, Megs.”

“Why would you have an issue with that?”

“You’re comparing me to you two before the war. I’ve _fought_ the war, Megatron. I’ve survived just as much messed up shit as anyone in either army, and if you think I’m still acting the way you and Optimus did when you were wide-eyed youths…”

“You misunderstand me. I know the horrors you’ve lived through, Rodimus. I _was_ one of them.”

Rodimus nervously avoided his gaze and made no reply.

“I wasn’t comparing you to Optimus and I before the war, but to us before we were leaders. You’ve been captain of the Lost Light for a few years, but you still report to Optimus. And I am aware that you have taken leadership roles fairly often during the war. But I hear that you refused to stop thinking of Optimus as your leader even when he refused the role and attempted to once again be simply Orion Pax.”

“Excuse you, let me remind you that the world was _dying_! It made sense to follow the most experienced leader! Even _I_ know the apocalypse isn’t the time for pride games!”

“I understand that, and I was not criticizing you. Your loyalty is admirable, Rodimus, and there is no shame in clinging to a mentor for a time. But you won’t become the type of leader you desire to be unless you focus more on yourself and learn to let go of Optimus.”

“You let go of your mentor?”

Now it was Megatron who felt as if he had just been punched. Memories of the empty space where Terminus should have been flooded back, pounding against millions of years of effort to repress them. His fists clenched, and something on his face must have told the story, for Rodimus suddenly seemed horrified at himself.

“… Sorry. I didn’t mean…”

“No matter. I shouldn’t have mentioned him in the first place. But this is _not_ a topic I engage in.”

“Understood.”

They sat in awkward silence for a moment, while Megatron recovered enough to proceed.

“Do you see my point? And considering what you heard that day, are you willing to take my word that Optimus has committed errors similar to yours in the past, and would therefore not be disappointed in you for what you did? He would lecture you, no doubt, but it would be out of a wish to prevent future incidents like it, not out of disappointment.”

“I… I suppose I believe you.” Rodimus sighed, seeming to be far from relieved. “It’s been so hard to understand him lately.”

“Since you spied on our private conversation, you mean?” asked Megatron, his voice cold once again.

“Look, could you get out of my case for that?  We were going to let Optimus know he forgot to close the audio, ok? But then, the second you two started talking things got a bit… Well, the word I used right afterwards was “cozy.””

“I see. So you realized the conversation was more private than you’d imagined it would be, and you thought _that_ gave you the right to spy on it.”

“Honestly? We were a bit frozen there, Megs. There wasn’t time to process the ethics of the situation, we were too busy trying to absorb how close our leader and our arch enemy apparently were. It felt like a matter of high security, not a private conversation. I admit we intruded on a private moment, and we shouldn’t have done that. But since it happened, I have had so many questions, and I just…”

“Let me stop you right there. I refuse to discuss this topic with you. If you have questions about it, ask Optimus.”  

“That’s the problem. I tried, but… Well, you know what you were saying about stupid things said in the heat of the moment?”

“I see.”

“I attempted to apologize later, and he made it clear he did not wish to talk about it.”

“Then I shall respect his wishes.”

“Megatron, wait. Please, I… I’m not asking out of curiosity, or to pry on your life or anything. I have a lot depending on this mission, and he’s making me work with you, and it’s just… Hard to know how to handle this when I’m not sure what is actually happening.”

Megatron sighed and buried his face on his hands, wishing to wake up on his berth and find that this entire conversation was nothing but a very uncomfortable nightmare. When it became clear that this was indeed happening, he mentally cursed Optimus for leaving this conversation in his hands, and searched for the best way to treat the subject.

“You mistrust his judgement where I am concerned.” He said at last, still avoiding looking at Rodimus.

“I wish I didn’t.”

“You shouldn’t. He waged four million years of war against me. He attempted to kill me several times and nearly succeeded, as I’m sure you’ve heard.”

“Sure, but the second you said you wanted to change, he believed you without question. He put you here, as captain…”

“Co-captain.”

Rodimus stared at him, enraged at his patronizing use of the term he’d always staunchly refuted. Shaking his head and deciding to stick to his present point, he continued.

“I know I’m not the only autobot who questioned him on this. I know that everyone who is close to him and cares about him has warned him about you, and yet he ignores all of us. When he was with you that day, he sounded… I had never heard him so comfortable, so…”

His voice trailed off, uncertain.

“People have been warning Optimus against me?” Megatron chuckled. “I am glad he has so many friends watching out for him, but you are all underestimating him. He knows me better than any of you, and he is old enough to make his own decisions regarding his personal relationships.”

“But he has no right to let whatever is happening between you damage the lives of the rest of us!”

“Ah, so here we come to the crux… Rodimus, look at me. Optimus and I mean much to each other. I won’t deny that. But our respective causes have always been more important, else… History would have taken a very different course. My recent change of side means nothing in terms of Optimus’ priorities. He wishes to see me redeemed, yes, but not at the cost of his ideals, of this mission, or of other people’s wellbeing.”

“That is not what his recent actions have shown.”

“Has it occurred to you that I am not here simply because I asked to be? That Optimus may have practical, logical reasons for having named me your co-captain?”

“It hasn’t, no. I can’t begin to imagine what those could be.”

“Don’t flare up on me, but your quest has been lacking focus.”

He expected Rodimus to protest, but instead, he recoiled in shame once more.

“I believe Optimus has placed me here to increase its chances of success, but not by fully taking over, like you and the crew seem to believe. I think… I think that his main reason for giving me this rank was to try to force you to listen to me, because although he knows this won’t be easy for either of us, he thinks that I can teach you some of what you need to learn.”

Rodimus scoffed.

“You’d have me believe his decision wasn’t personal.”

“No, it absolutely _was_ personal, but not in the negative light you’re seeing it. He wants you and I to learn to get along because of how much we matter to him.”

It was clear this was a new concept for Rodimus. He stared vacantly at the wall, adjusting to that idea, and Megatron sighed. He wasn’t used to opening up, but he was in too deep now. Reflecting that deep down, he had always known this was part of what he was signing up for when he and Optimus agreed to the terms of his conditional release, he forced himself to go on.

“I don’t know exactly how old you are, Rodimus, but I believe you came from one of the last hot spots to be active. And due to that, there is something that I do not think you had the opportunity to experience. So allow me to try to explain it… When someone younger and relatively unexperienced, someone who resembles yourself several years ago- as you do sometimes resemble Orion Pax-, but is simultaneously completely baffling and unpredictable, places on you the kind of trust you have placed on Optimus, it creates a powerful bond. That person and their development come to be more important to you than mostly anything… I understand why this may be hard for you to see, but between the two of us, I am not the one who Optimus cares about the most.”

Rodimus’ expression softened. He stared at Megatron, desperately wishing to believe him. There was suspicion in his eyes, though, and fear that those words were nothing but part of a game.

“It is true. I understand how recent events may look from your perspective. But believe me, Rodimus… Optimus never cared for anyone more than he cares about you. And much as he somehow has the energy to care deeply for every living thing he speaks to, I strongly believe that there isn’t anyone he cares about _as_ deeply as he cares about you, either.” His voice softened, and he respectfully touched the autobot badge attached to his chest. “Not since we lost Bumblebee.”

Rodimus’ gaze dropped at the mention of their fallen friend, and they were silent for a long moment before Megatron continued.

“Optimus cares deeply about me, Rodimus. But he would never intentionally do something that hurt you, no matter how important it was to me. Now, if he underestimated how hurtful my presence on this ship is to you… Then that just proves that he isn’t perfect, doesn’t it? If I were you, I would take this as an opportunity to start caring a bit less about his judgement.”

Yet another long silence followed.

“Your words make sense.” Rodimus said at last. “But you are known for being an expert manipulator.”

The truth shouldn’t hurt that much.

“I want to believe you,” Rodimus continued, “but…Can I ask one more question?”

“You may ask.” Megatron said, noncommittally.

“What is it in for you in this conversation?”

Megatron raised from his seat, indignant.

“I thought that if someone took the first step, we might be able to solve our differences in a civil way. Clearly I was mistaken. Goodnight, Rodimus.”

“Wait! That came out wrong. I meant…You’re not the open, social type. Everyone knows that. I don’t think this is the sort of conversation you have casually over energon every other weekend. I know telling me all of this must have been hard for you, and I just want to understand why you did it. You didn’t have to.”

Megatron hesitated at the door, and didn’t answer. Rodimus sighed.

“Look, Megs, I’ll offer you a deal. You told me things about Optimus that I didn’t know. If you sit down again and resume the conversation, I’ll tell you something _you_ don’t know. Is that fair?”

Megatron reluctantly returned to his seat.

“I’m listening.”

“When Optimus found out that we had listened to your conversation and I told him I thought things between you were too cozy, he yelled at us. I had never seen him yell outside of a battle before, and I had _never_ seen him that angry. Not even at you. He ordered everyone out of the room. And…” There was a pause as Rodimus summoned the courage to look at Megatron before saying the next words. “I can’t be sure, but I think he was about to cry. Millions of years of war, and it was the first time I had that impression. I mean, I’m sure he’s cried countless times these past four million years, which of us haven’t, right? But maybe he felt he had to be strong for us, live up to being a Prime, or whatever, because he never cried in front of us, or at least, not in front of me. This was the first time he couldn’t fully disguise it until I’d left.”

Megatron could feel himself shaking. He remembered the details of that conversation, one of the most intense he and Optimus had ever shared, and how it had ended with him refusing an offer to take Optimus’ hand and end the war. He knew at the time that that must have upset Optimus, but he hadn’t thought it had been this bad. And, he realized with a pang of shame, Optimus wouldn’t have wanted him to know. 

“Optimus wouldn’t like it if he knew you told me about this.”

“I know, and I’m taking a huge risk in trusting you not to tell him. But I had to, because I have to know if we’re on the same page on this. I know it doesn’t look like it, because it’s _hard_ , but I have been trying to see good things in you and to get along with you since that day. Because you are right, us getting along _would_ mean a lot to him. More than I could ever have realized if I hadn’t seen him acting that way. And I want… I _need_ to know if that is why you’re making such an effort to be nice to me too.”

Megatron avoided his gaze.

“It is.”

“I see.”

Neither of them knew how to proceed from that point, but Megatron realized that there was something else he should say, fast, before Rodimus spoke again, or else there might never be another appropriate moment and he would likely regret his silence in the future.

“Rodimus, there is more. You made it perfectly clear today that you don’t trust me, and I don’t blame you. But since you are willing to understand me better, I want to tell you…” He stopped, searching for words. “I want to tell you something that might make our relationship and our mission easier.”

Rodimus seemed nervous, but he made himself look Megatron in the optics and give him his full attention.

“After today, I believe you’ll understand my attitude in the future if I act nicely towards you. But you also need to know that when I attempt to give you advice or when I get frustrated and yell at you, I am not trying to humiliate you or sabotage the quest. I have more depending on this mission than you realize. My trial and my chance to make amends, yes, but it goes beyond that too, assuming there is a beyond. Should the Knights see fit to let me live, I will need to build a life for myself as a civilian. And I don’t know how I’ll go about that. Once, in my youth, I wished to become a medic, but I know now that I would not be suited for that job. Nautica tells me I would make a good professor, which had never crossed my mind, but I never set foot on an institution of formal education and she spent half of her life on one, so she understands the setting better than I do. Perhaps I should listen to her. I don’t know, Rodimus. I think that is a common feeling among our species at the moment, is it not? Feeling lost at having freedom of choice for the first time.”

“It is. Also, you’re stalling.”

Megatron nodded nervously.

“Fine, I’ll get to the point. Although I feel lost about every other aspect of my life, there is one thing I know I will do the moment I am free to do so, if that moment ever comes. Without it, any future seems meaningless. And if I damage this mission, or if I ever cause you any kind of serious harm again, this one thing I desire will be out of my reach.”

Rodimus’ optics widened. He clearly understood, and was as unwilling to say it aloud as Megatron was. It took a moment for him to absorb what seemed to have been a shocking information, and then his voice and expression grew fierce.

“If you hurt him, I will hunt you down and make you wish you’d been captured by the DJD.”

“I believe you. But I think it goes without saying that I intend to do everything in my power to keep him happy.”

Rodimus sighed and pressed his hands to his face.

“I can’t pretend I understand either of you. And I wouldn’t believe a word you said today if I hadn’t heard that conversation. But… But whatever is happening between you is clearly real, so I guess that with basis on that, I can make an effort to trust you more.”

Megatron smiled, with a genuine happiness he wasn’t used to experiencing.

“That is very mature of you. And I know it can’t have been an easy decision to make. If Optimus were here, he would be very proud.”

Rodimus was startled by that declaration. His gaze softened and he smiled back at Megatron.

“Thank you for… All of this. I will be back to work tomorrow.”

“I am glad to hear that.” Megatron rose from his seat and walked towards the door. “And just so we are clear- this conversation never happened.”

“Of course not. If anyone asks, you came in here to tell me off for being childish, we yelled at each other, and I went back to spite you.”

“Sounds perfect.” Megatron extended a hand, and was pleasantly surprised when Rodimus didn’t hesitate to shake it.

Letting go, Megatron hurried back to his hab suite. He did not want to risk anyone seeing him and wondering why he was grinning.

He wondered at it himself. On one hand, it made perfect sense. Despite the massive quest that lay ahead, and all the questions surrounding his future, he felt that being successful in his efforts to establish a more civil relationship with one of Optimus’ favorite Autobots had gotten him one step closer to someday asking Prime to be his conjunx endura.

But his present happiness was due to more than that. Rodimus’ maturity and open mindness had surprised him, and he found that he didn’t mind having opened his spark to the young mech as much as he had thought he would. He supposed he shouldn’t have underestimated Optimus’ choice in a possible successor. But with the way Rodimus usually acted, Megatron hadn’t expected him to be so relatively easy to speak to when he was being reasonable. Perhaps there was hope for his future as a leader, after all, and Megatron felt proud of any slight role he might play in helping Rodimus towards that.

It was a feeling he had missed. Thoughts of Tarn and Overlord made his spark ache with guilt and loss. How long had it been since he had last been proud of himself as a mentor?

He knew he had failed the pupils he had taken so far, and there was nothing to be done about that. But his brief conversation with Rodimus had given him hope, and improved his vague dreams for the future. Where before he could only see himself with Optimus, without any idea of what they would be doing as civilians, he now allowed himself visions of mentoring younger bots alongside his conjunx. His chances of achieving that dream were slim, and he knew it, but it felt good to have a more concrete vision of the future he was aiming for.

Reaching his suite, he immediately laid down for recharge. He usually liked to read before going to berth, but the evening had been exhausting, and he wanted to be fully charged for the command reunion on the next morning. For the moment, his hesitation to fulfill the mission was gone, and he wanted nothing more than to proceed with the quest, find the Knights of Cybertron, lead them back to save his people…

And, most of all, to see the pleased expression on Optimus’ face when he was informed of the quest’s success and realized the two most important people in his life had learned to work together.

 


End file.
